Screw-propeller.



No. 687,325. Patented Nov. 26, |901. J. s. MAcnuFF.

SCREW PROPELLER.

(Application me@ Mar. r1, 1901.) (No Model.)

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,325, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed March 7I 1901l To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. MACDUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vessels for Speedy Transportation Over Ice and Water; and I do declaro the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a vessel for speedy transportation over ice and Water, and more particularly to the novel means of propulsion for said vessel.

The object of the invention is to provide a vessel of this character which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive of production and which may be used for ice and water travel in certain localities and under certain conditions.

With this and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings` Figure l is a side elevation of the device, partly in section, illustrating the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

In the drawings, l denotes the body or hull of the vessel, which may be constructed with ice-runners or with a keel or with both.

2 denotes a drive-shaft journaled in suitably-braced bearings 3, and 4 denotes the hub of the screw-propeller 5, which hub is xed' to said shaft and may be rotated in any suitable manner by hand, steam, or the like. As shown in the drawings, I have provided a suitably-journaled bevel-gear 6,which meshes with the bevel-pinion 7, secured to the shaft, and is provided with a crank 8 on each end of its axis by means of which it may be rotated. A pulley 9 may be provided in lieu of this gearing, and it may be connected by a belt to any source of power. The propeller is sur- Serial No. 50,150. (No model.)

rounded by a hood or shield l0, which is pref-V erably attached to the propellerand"acts as a flywheel in'addition to confining the air within the radius of the blades and preventing air from being forced from the blades in the action of the propeller. This enables me to get greater force than if the shield or hood were not provided, and at the same time this shield or hood, as above stated, acts as a flywheel. This device may be used for various purposes and will be found to be a valuable invention in localities where travel must be over ice and water.

From theforegoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention Without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a hull or body of a vessel provided with runners and a keel, of braced bearings mounted upon the deck-platform of the vessel, a shaft journaled in said bearings, an air-propeller having a hub rigidly connected with saidshaft, and provided with a surrounding hood or shield adapted to confine the air within the radius of the blades and to serve also as a fly-wheel, a transverse dri ve-shaft, gearing between said driveshaft and the propeller-shaft, and means for operating the drive shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES B. MACDUFF.

Witnesses:

THos. H. WILLIAMS, G. J. WEDERHOLD. 

